“I have never seen so many happy, smiling people in one place. That was so much fun!! And NO ONE was on their phone!!” – My very kind and clever Canadian partner, Rob Imrie, witnessing LT Days for the first time.

After last weekend, I am 100% convinced that no one parties like the Lithuanians.

LT Days was an absolute BLAST – Vilnius 700th Birthday was a roaring success .

Over the 2 very hot days in a small Franklin Hills neighbourhood in Los Angeles (right next to Silver Lake), also known as the “Little Lithuania”, we sang traditional songs, learned to dance traditional folk dances and samba, listened to classical, folk, pop, and rock music, we jumped around and sang at the top of our lungs along with some of the TOP Lithuanian artists who usually book out stadiums in Lithuania!

Something that makes me so happy coming from a small country such as Lithuania… is that we are loud and proud to be Lithuanians! The amount of Lithuanian flags as stickers on people’s faces, ladies and gents wearing our flag colours – was INSANE.

My incredible co-host Amandas Ragauskas was on FIRE – it was so much fun to host with you and seeing you say hello everyone you knew, to have you tell jokes backstage, to have fun with all the artists and to remind me that: “On the stage, nothing matters more than believing in what you’re doing!” (Big shout out to legendary Lithuanian actress Olita Dautartaitė, who shared this to Amandas: “Tikėk į tai, ką darai scenoje” („believe in what you do on a stage”)).

I realized that our Los Angeles Lithuanian Community / Los Angeles JAV Lietuvių Bendruomenė is simply UNBELIEVABLE. So many of you shared with me how much fun you had, saying that LA Lithuanians know how to be fun, accepting, friendly and joyful.

Our people and our culture, our music and songs is THE BEST EXPORT.

I want to THANK the LA LT community members (Laura Remeika, Tomas Umbrasas, Vytenis Vilkas, Giedrė Garbisch, Rasa Paliulis, Rasa Ann Hendrickson, Mike Andrulis, Vincas Bernota, Saulius Kajota, Ingrida Gailiūnė, Liudas Deveikis, Paul Žemaitaitis, Raimundas Šilkaitis, Rasa Šilkaitienė, kun. Tomas Karanauskas ir Ringailė Barysaitė, who have worked night and day to make the LT Days Happen! Thank you for your support and hard work in making the LT Days happen and everyone who was involved in planning it and putting it together .

Thank you to all the volunteers and for your diligent attention in taking care of the needs of our guests. And to all the vendors, cooks, and bartenders – thanks for taking care of people whilst showing Lithuanian hospitality!

I want to acknowledge the very special guests we had who extend incredible support to LT Days – your leadership, guidance and working hard for the LT Community is so much appreciated.

Laima Jurevičienė, Audra Plepytė, Dalia Asanavičiūtė, Ieva Kačinskaitė-Urbonienė, Daiva Čekanauskas Navarrette, Tomas Karanauskas, Maryte Newsom, Laurynas Misevičius, Aidas Mattis, Stand with Ukraine foundation, Blue/Yellow for Ukraine USA, Baltic American Freedom League – BAFL, Lietuvos Respublikos generalinis konsulatas Los Andžele.

THANK YOU to our passionate artists, musicians, songwriters, performers, dancers, singers – Without you there simply wouldn’t be the kind of VIBE that inspires everyone get up from their chairs, clap their hands and dance around like nuts!

Agnė Giedraitytė, Martynas Matutis, Rolandas Dabrukas, Rima Veličkienė, Spindulys, Zita Indriūnienė, Ramutė Kraujalienė, Genys, Loreta Janulevičiūtė, Mituva, Erikas Petraitis, Lilija and Valdas Padriezai from Westmore ballroom, Sutaras, Augis Dicevičius, Irena Starošaitė ir Žilvinas Žvagulis, Vidas Bareikis, St Casimir’s Lithuanian School’s students Musical Waves Silvija and Greta Veličkaitės – Jus buvote nerealūs (you were amazing)!

It was great to see you again, and meet new friends on the dance floor!!

Justina Jakavonyt4, Mindaugas Senis, Mantas Zamzickas Al Matulevicius, Nijolė Vitkaiskaitė-Lembertas, Greta Patapovaitė-Bryant, Rima Matulevičienė, Edita Ruzgytė, Viltė Matulevičiūtė, Monika Stasauskienė, Virginija West, Paulius Jurgutis, Vilija Jurgutis, Jūtarė Jurgelionytė Vilienė, Conrad Mazeika, Edgaras Tribičius, Ed Šilkaitis, Daiva Stankevičienė, Vincent Bernota, Ariel Dumse, Vaidas Šukys, Gida Urbonienė.

And now… till LA LT Days 2024 Los Angeles Lithuanian Fair (LA Lithuanian Days).

LT Days akimirkos nuotraukų albume: